"virtual reality" loosening

[sagehen]

on 5/25/08 3:30 PM, James Harbeck at jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA wrote:

> I read the following in a photo caption in today's Toronto Star
> (A8-A9): "Composite photo is comprised of four images assembled to
> create a 360-degree virtual reality."
>
> I'm not used to this use of "virtual reality" -- and, I must say, it
> sounds rather silly to me. Among other things, 360-degree panorama in
> a straight line actually looks somewhat less like what you'll
> actually see due to the distortions at the closest points and the
> fact that you can shift view 180 degrees by merely flicking your eyes
> about five degrees over (depending on how much of your fied of vision
> the picture occupies). But I expect that we will see more of this
> looser use of the term -- it's too catchy not to become something of
> a shiny toy.
>
> James Harbeck.
>
~~~~~~~~~
I'd say lay an ambush & cut this one off at the pass. It's ridiculous;
should be laughed out of court.  "Panorama" already covers this sort of
photographic trick, dosn't it?  If hijacking an already-existing term is
called for, "sweeping generalization" comes to mind!
AM

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